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Haj quota for expats in UAE to be reduced

ABU DHABI — The UAE and Saudi Arabia have agreed to reduce the annual quota of expatriates in the emirates who will be allowed to perform Haj to 700 from the beginning of 2010, Dr Mohammed Mattar Al Ka’abi, Director of the General Authority for Islamic Affairs and Auqaf (Endowments), told Khaleej Times.

The number of expatriates, living and working in the country, who are allowed to perform Haj this year is 7,000.

It will be 3,000 in 2008 and 1,700 in 2009 and 700 in 2010, he said.

The agreement, he said, followed a decision of the Islamic Conference Organisation (ICO), which makes it binding on all countries to proportionately nominate one from every 10,000 people for performing Haj, and all the countries had endorsed the decision.

It was agreed between the UAE and Saudi Arabia to enforce the decision gradually taking into account the deep-rooted and strong fraternal relations between the two countries, he said.

India has demanded the ICO to fix its quota at 150,000 every year, Al Ka’abi said and added the demand is fair and right due to its large population.

Slashing the quota of UAE pilgrims would result in many benefits. Saudi Arabia and the Haj missions will now be able to provide better services to the pilgrims and ensure their safety.